3 Ways Small Businesses in London, Ontario Can Stay Visible Online This Summer
Summer is one of my favourite times of year. The weather is better, community events are everywhere, and for many small businesses, it's one of the busiest seasons.
It's also the time when marketing is often the first thing to fall off the to-do list.
I completely understand why. When you're serving customers, taking a vacation, or simply trying to enjoy a slower pace, it's hard to find time to think about Instagram captions or blog posts.
The good news is that maintaining your online presence doesn't require hours every day. A little planning can go a long way.
Here are three practical strategies you can start using today to keep your business visible throughout the summer.
1. Batch Create Your Content Instead of Starting From Scratch Every Week
One of the biggest mistakes I see business owners make is waiting until it's time to post before thinking about what to create.
Instead, dedicate one morning each month to creating as much content as possible.
Think of it like meal prepping, but for your marketing.
Try this at home:
Set a timer for one hour and challenge yourself to capture:
20 photos of your workspace, products, or services.
Five short videos answering questions customers ask all the time.
Three client success stories.
Five behind-the-scenes moments.
A few seasonal photos you can use later in the summer.
Don't worry about editing anything yet. Your goal is simply to build a library of content.
The next time you're ready to post, you won't be starting with a blank screen.
Learning takeaway: Marketing becomes much easier when you create content in batches instead of trying to come up with something new every few days.
2. Schedule Your Posts While You're Already in Marketing Mode
Creating content is one step. Publishing it consistently is another.
If you've already written a few captions or edited some photos, take an extra 20 minutes to schedule them.
That way, your business continues showing up online even when you're busy with clients or away enjoying the summer.
Try this at home:
Choose one afternoon this week and plan your next two weeks of content.
Ask yourself:
What questions do my customers ask most often?
What product or service do I want more people to know about?
What recent project am I proud of?
What advice can I share that would genuinely help someone?
Now schedule those posts in advance.
You'll thank yourself later.
Learning takeaway: Consistency doesn't come from posting every day. It comes from having a simple system that helps you show up regularly.
3. Recognize When Your Time Is Better Spent Elsewhere
As business owners, we often wear every hat.
We're answering emails, serving customers, sending invoices, managing operations, and trying to keep up with marketing on top of it all.
At some point, it's worth asking yourself an important question:
"Is this the best use of my time?"
Marketing is incredibly valuable, but so is your expertise.
If you're spending hours trying to figure out algorithms or design graphics, that's time you're not spending with clients, growing your business, or enjoying your family.
Try this at home:
Make two columns on a piece of paper.
In the first column, write down every marketing task you do each month.
In the second column, ask yourself:
Do I enjoy doing this?
Am I good at it?
Does it directly grow my business?
If the answer is "no" to most of those questions, it may be time to delegate or outsource that task.
Sometimes the best investment you can make isn't another tool. It's giving yourself the time to focus on what you do best.
Learning takeaway: Outsourcing isn't about doing less. It's about making sure your energy is spent where it creates the greatest impact.
Your Summer Marketing Challenge
Before this week is over, I challenge you to do three things:
✔ Spend one hour creating content.
✔ Schedule at least one week of posts.
✔ Identify one marketing task you could simplify, automate, or outsource.
They're small actions, but together they create momentum.
And that's what great marketing is all about.
At The New Leaf Collective, we believe marketing should support your business, not overwhelm it. Whether you're looking for social media management in London, Ontario, content creation, SEO, or a marketing strategy that fits your schedule, our goal is to help you grow in a way that feels sustainable.
Because your business deserves to stay visible, even when you're taking time to enjoy the summer.